How do you feel about the use of technology?

They’ve done it in Formula 1, so how about doing it in the Premiership? Double points for the last game of the season!

Now before you all go bananas, think about it for a minute. It could add a bit of much needed spice to the final games of teams at both ends of the table. A lifeline, perhaps, for one of the bottom three? A late, late chance for a team to get into the top four, even the prospect of the Champions Elect falling at the final hurdle.

Can you imagine the look on the face of The Special One if his swanky team of millionaires got pipped at the post? Wouldn’t that be priceless?

Other changes could be made, we’ve all got opinions on the introduction of technology, some for, some against and, of course, some don’t know, so far I’ve been less than impressed by the changes made in the on pitch management of the game.

Two extra members of the FWWBU (Flag Wavers and Whistle Blowers Union) and the re-naming of Linesmen as “Assistant Referees” doesn’t seem to have done much to improve the standard of decision making, or lack of it in many cases. One thing I can’t quite understand is why the Assistant Referee and the extra one on the goal line are both on the same side of the pitch. Surely it would be better if they were on opposite sides so they would have different angles to watch for infringements.

Goal line technology was introduced at the start of the season, so far as I remember it’s been used just once so far in the Premiership, and that to only confirm what everybody already knew, the ball had crossed the line. A very big, and expensive, hammer to crack a fairly insignificant nut.

There are regular calls for the introduction of video replays to help the poor old ref get it right, oddly enough the very opposite is being demanded in Rugby Union, it seems that the TMO (Television Match Official) is becoming more and more involved, in more and more situations. In one case when asked simply if the ball had been grounded correctly, and a try could be awarded, the TMO took it upon himself to run back two or three passes in case one of them had been forward, he then advised the referee to disallow the try and award the opposing team a scrum.

Those opposed to the technology are convinced that the integrity of the referees is being called into question while the game is becoming disjointed, the players and the crowd are frequently bewildered by the shenanigans going on between the TMO, the television director and the ref. The sight of thirty sweat soaked blokes standing around in the cold and rain while the TMO studies videos from half a dozen cameras does little to enhance anyone’s enjoyment of the game.

There has been innovation throughout football’s long history, the introduction of shirt numbers, names on shirts, red and yellow cards, tinkering with the offside law, which still confuses some players and pundits alike, banning back-passes to the ‘keeper among others.

Oh! Just one more, a player who needs treatment for injury on the pitch, must go off and is not allowed to return until play has been resumed, except, in the case of a goalkeeper, now why is that? Why do ‘keepers get special treatment?

How do you feel about “technology”? Should we have a “Sin-bin” system? Video replays? Even more members of the FWWBU? Or should we just leave the ref to get on with the game?

Written by Norfolk Gooner.

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89 Responses to How do you feel about the use of technology?

I am a 100% in favour of technology but in a way that is more like in Tennis or the NFL. Here would be my idea:

A team can have 3 challenges per match but only in certain conditions:

1. If they believe that a goal allowed should not stand or a disallowed goal should stand;
2. If they believe that an awarded penalty should not stand;
3. If they believe that a red card should not stand.

In my view, the video should be used to confirm or rule out a decision made.

I like the idea of the challenges. I think it’s important to make sure a decision is right and not do a refs job for him. I think a captain should be the only person allowed to make a challenge too. What about 1 challenge per half. We don’t want it turning into a way to waste time at the end of a game. The ref would also be required to stop his watch too so we don’t end up losing playing time.
Injured players going off for treatment only gives an advantage to the opponent. To combat this the player who caused the stoppage must go off too until the ref allows them both back on.
Here’s another one…in rugby they play 80 actual mins. Should we adopt a similar approach when the ball goes out of play on 90 it’s over, losing team must keep the ball and winning team/team happy with a draw can kick it out? It’s easy to manage, ref stops play by blowing whistle and the clock freezes! It would end all this crap about a sub = 30 seconds added time, a goal is another 30, plus injuries by fake players time wasting! Should we have 2 mins added or 3 so many managers and players whinge about it.

Thanks Norfolk, I am in total agreement that technology should be used to review game changing incidents, it is effective in rugby and can be the same in football with very little interruption in play.

One of my gripes is also that when a player is fouled and injured he has to go off the pitch for treatment and wait for the ref to wave him back on whilst the perpetrator is free to play on thereby disadvantaging the team that has been the victim of foul play by the opposition. This is easy to rectify. The player that commits the foul should also leave the pitch and only be allowed to return at the same time as the injured player. This may open the door for faking injury just to remove an opposing player so it could just be used if a card is issued = the foul is bad enough.

instead of looking at a sin bin solution maybe the FA should look at the idea being trialled by the GAA. If a player commits a cynical foul e.g. pulls back a player who has gone past him, he is shown a black card. This means that he has to leave the field but can be replaced by another player as long as his team have not used all their substitutes.

Oh, and another thing 😛 Currently only red cards can be reviewed and this is a lengthy process that involves several experts – but sometimes a yellow card, if it is a second, or if it adds to an automatic ban due to accumulation can be just as damaging.

So if a manager thinks a yellow card has been unjust (and they often are) why isn’t there a process whereby he can ask the ref to review his yellow card decision after the game (or the next day). All refs get it wrong once in a while and if the video evidence is clear, he would have to rescind the card.

Good point poig, I guess they want to avoid endless reviews and undermining refs. That’s why I suggest for more minor incidents letting the ref review video evidence of his own decisions, in that way he is not being undermined and may actually learn something from the process. If he sees something seriously wrong, he can then defer it to the current panel for adjudication.

I like the idea of double points for the last game of the season, oooooh the emotions !! Chavs have Sunderland at home, so it is unlikely that they would lose that one, no disappointment on Maureen’s ugly gob. We have WBA at home, which could mean jumping a position or two, a cheeky smile on our bosses face.

I love technology and voted for the video replays. But what I am really dreading is the virtual football. More and more people are talking about it, the last one I listened to was Nick Hornby. I agree with them that the days of soccer as we know it are numbered. Give it another 10-15 years and the new generation will most certainly choose the virtual version. The clubs will still have to buy players, but not real humans (I wonder if they will get injured?) That part of technology I do not like, but I guess we have to face the fact that our lives are all becoming virtual. In Japan they have reported that some 60% of young males are virgins dating only online girlfriends, the mind boggles

Rasp
I would argue that it would support rather than undermine the refs. We have countless replays and different camera angles to make up our minds the ref has a split second. Point in case Sanchez had in my opinion 2 red card fouls again’st him in 1 week. My way, post match red cards. It also might have the effect that players knowing they can be punished after a match might think twice.

Can’t argue with that poig, I just think we would need to avoid a lengthy process so why not let the ref look at it himself first with the authority to overturn the minor incidents and to refer more serious ones to the current committee. I agree the ‘if the ref saw it we can do nothing’ is a ridiculous rule unless they truly believe every ref gets it right every time.

Technology, it will happen and is only a matter of time before we get challenges etc`, as I`ve said before, when the beautiful game becomes massive in the USA, challenges etc` will give them time to slip in an advert and that’s what it is all about in their televised sport .
I`d rather look to technology and what it can do and bring to the experience of a day at the Emirates, like electric chairs or Taser seats in the away supporters end !…..when we sing…..”stand up if you hate totnumb”, someone switches the current on and the spuds jump out of their seats !…..or the technology of some kind of volume control in the spud end, so when we sing….”can you hear the totnumb sing ?…no…no ! “…..we wont hear them……. a mute button !.
I have a lot more suggestion and funny enough, they involve Spuds, but they wont pass the peaches mum test. hahaha

What I will say is that football is a simple game, let’s keep it simple, please!

I know that with all the money sloshing around the game we’re never going to get back to twenty-two blokes (blokesses) enjoying a game of football under the control of a ref and two linesmen. Enjoying the game and accepting the decisions, right or wrong, of the officials. But, in the words of the song, Oh! wouldn’t it be luvverly.
.

I like Cockie’s ideas but they may take a bit longer to get past the authorities.

Thanks for the post NG. I am for technology. I said when they introduced the goal-line technology that, although it was a good idea, it only constituted a small amount of how incorrect decisions affect the outcome of games. I would estimate that at least 90% of all incorrect decisions are incorrect awarding or not of penalties, incorrect awarding or not of off-sides where a goal has resulted and unfair reds and yellows or not giving them when they should have been.

I am not a believer in any way that “it all evens out”. If all decisions like those above were correct then things would already look very different this season.

I believe Chelsea would be leading the league at this stage whatever decisions were made, but I don’t think it would be by so much and I see a worrying trend with them in the last 2 seasons and it is looking more like the Ferguson reign again but just with Chelsea as the favoured ones.

When we lost 2-0 to them there were incorrect decisions on both sides, but chronologically the first one was that Cahill should have seen red. With hem down to 10 the whole game would have likely changed and who knows what would have happened. It certainly would have been difficult for them to get something from the game.

In their last 2 games Chelsea have gained an unfair 4 points IMO. Against QPR Hazard committed the foul IMO but he got a penalty. With the final result 2-1 that was a game changing decision. Against Liverpool there was 1 but possibly 2 Cahill handballs. That game ended 2-1 and should have been at best a draw for Chelsea if the ref gets the decisions right. Even though I felt we were unprofessional at 3-0 up on Anderlecht, their first goal should never have stood and we would have likely still won that game with the right decision.

I am not so sure there will be a fair and proper winner of the EPL in many seasons until these discrepancies are corrected and the only way is through technology.

X-Ray turnstyles in case fans are trying to conceal anything inappropriate !…………..” we have a code one….a fan by the name of Eddie trying to enter the gay gooners section of the clock end with concealed knuckle dusters, assistance required ! “. hahaha

“we have a code two……man wearing dodgy syrup entering family enclosure concealing some half-time porno mags !…..request immediate back up of two pints of lager and some pork pies ! “. hahaha

Abou Diaby is apparently out for another 3 months with a hamstring injury !….the bit part Arsenal player and full time NHS patient is said to over the moon that he will be rewarded with a new NHS contract this coming summer.
Abou said…..” After contracting 1500 separate injuries since 2006, I am now more qualified than my local GP on human anatomy and with funding and sponsorship from Life Support Machines “R” Us will take up a position of internship at Arsenal Medical Centre with the goal of becoming Professor of The Unfulfilled Glass Footballers Association !.”

Why not extend the goal line technology to the sidelines and the entire end lines, to determine if a ball went out of play? In the sideline case, ref’s wrist detector gets a buzz right away, blows the play dead, and awards the throw in. If undecided as to who touched last, do a drop ball. The end line situation is trickier, because the decision on who touched last has a much bigger impact on the match (goal kick or corner) than the awarding of a side throw in.

Re the challenge of a goal allowed should not stand or a disallowed goal should stand, in offside situations: issue here is that rectifying of the incorrect decision is “asymmetric”. In incorrectly awarding a goal scored from offside, the solution is clear. The goal has stopped play, and if review shows an incorrect decision, take the goal off the board and proceed with the free kick from the offside spot. On the other hand, in the situation where an incorrect offside call is made when a goal is scored or goal scoring opportunity should have continued, the defense can claim that the lino’s flag brought the play to a stop. So what do you do in that instance to rectify?

You raise a number of points and when you consider that football is our national game there are so many aspects of the game that need addressing.

Video technology is used in all major sports and even in rugby which is about as close to football in terms of number of players on th pitch it is used for aggressive behavior as well as penalties and if a try is legal.

Unfortunately more and more players are taught to cheat usually to break the momentum in a game by lying in agony for several minutes, the forth official does nothing, nor do the additional refs behind the goals in CL games.

The main issue is the lack of consistency seen nearly every week from the refs.

If a player makes a dangerous tackle say in the opening minutes of a game,he invariably gets a warning not a card.What’s the difference if the same tackle is at any other time in a game.

Shirt pulling is getting completely out of control and rarely is a penalty given.

Ball to hand or hand ball is again not clearly defined and video technology would clear that up in a couple of minutes usually a shorter time than a whole team arguing with a ref that it wasn’t a penalty, when given.

As you say these are fine margins and can make a dramatic effect on the result of a match

They`re now saying on Arsenal newsnow that Diaby`s hamstring injury is a load of rubbish, it`s a different injury that remains unknown and although my mate Dave ridiculously says he saw Arsene holding Abou`s hand out side a Swiss Euthanasia Clinic today, it is more probable than Arsenal ever winning the EPL under Arsene again !.

I have to admit that where technology in sport is concerned I’m a confirmed Luddite.

Goal-line tech appears to work well, but only for one reason, it’s a “line decision”, did the ball cross the line? Simple, no judgement on the part of an official is needed.

Most other decisions are “Judgement calls”, was the foul worth a caution? Was that fall a dive? Any decision that turns on an opinion is open to interpretation, so unless we are to have endless replays of video evidence, with a panel of experts to scrutinise them, we should leave it to the referee.

My fear is that the game will become a stuttering, disjointed and ultimately tedious round of stops and starts while various off-field sources are examined.

I’m with you. NG.
Sometimes we can’t agree on calls ourselves so why should we think we’d agree with a video technology ref.

When Bony fell over under a challenge from Chambers on Sunday, it looked to me like someone had removed his spine (literally and metaphorically) as he hit the deck like a sack of potatoes. Others thought it was a pen. 🙂

What do we think would have been the verdicts via a video tech ref on these two decisions?

aha, more about the World Cup corruption allegations!!
A Spanish prominent layer said : “Now that I have seen Mr Garcia’s statement, I am absolutely convinced that the report is a politically motivated whitewash.”
His statement will embarrass Fifa and raise concerns about the work of Hans-Joachim Eckert.

all’s not lost yet, let’s hope the truth shall emerge and feck Russia and feck Qatar, we want the World Cup here!!

Technology is already here, and it is only a matter of time before it is extended.

I do not think technology will help if it takes over the game – that would be turning a simple game into a computer arbitration FIFA 2014 show.

The main causes of disputes are matters that occur around and in the penalty area, and that is where techno should be used.

A goal is scored/or not (as with a try in Rugby Union) a quick sheck to make sure the scorer was not offside. Check too, that no other fouls have been missed by the ref – shirts pulled, hands used, and either a goal scored or disallowed, or a penalty awarded.

This would take away a lot of the angst of both teams and the fans.

If that system had been used in our game against Anderlecht, the first one of their goals would have been disallowed and that would probably have changed the result – and all the bitter recriminations that followed, including the character assassination of AW would have been avoided.

Here’s Hazard winning a free-kick and booking for Calum Chambers by stepping across a man running at full pelt and the falling over.
If there was any justice in the world, Hazard would damage his achilles with his little ‘trick’.

This is how the Telegraph’s matchday text reported it.

21 min: Now Calum Chambers goes in the book after cynically professionally bringing down Hazard after Wilshere lost the ball. Chambers will miss the next game but, more importantly, is on dicey ground now against Hazard for the next 70 minutes.

The whole thing fills me with dread. I just wish i could physically transfer a computer crash to the bloke who created VAIO computers.

Juts when hes getting excited watching some “film” the main actress disappears and a bloke from the FBI turns up demanding $100. After hes paid it over and gets really excited by her acting skills, she disappears again, this time replaced by the dreaded blue screen of death.

Let him spend five hours talking to some bloke from India.

I dont want the game stopped. Like chas said, we cant even agree after watching a replay so whats the point?

Imagine two Arsenal supporting jerks who have been to one game between them arguing on the internet about the panels decision? It will drive us nuts. Increasing incidence of alcoholism, depression, and creating men who dont speak all day as they stay at home to watch loose women with an expression best suited for one flew over the cuckoos nest.

And how would it stop Chelsea? They cheat systematically. By the time the games finished we will all be 10 years older and laughed at for our fashion sense.

And what about Refs? Who the hell would be left to abuse these masochistic bastards if the descision is taken form them, you would probably not be able to walk down the street without some middle aged man wrapped around your leg begging to be sworn at

Evening all, Good question Norfolk,
I see many have come up with various Ideas.
Personally i would just like to see a referee do his job right.
Rules get changed just for the hell of it.
Man goes down injured, Ref stops play, bounce up situation, the ref drops the ball to one player and he kicks it to the opposition. The rule states drop ball between 2 players why has that changed.

Defender wrestles a forward to the ground on free kicks and corners Referee ignores it, a foul has been committed Penalty.

Where the rules have changed is referee’s interpretation of the rules. Handball, referee’s decide if it is handball or not. Whats wrong with if it hits the hand its handball.

Is it a foul or has he dived, Referee jf he doesn’t give a free kick he must book the player.

Is he offside or not, A linesman on one side an official on the goal line and the referee’s own view, and a blatent offside is not seen when all the rest of the stadium see’s it, Shows the ref is bent and the FA are run exactly the same as FIFA

I’m not sure about technology as I don’t know how the game can be stopped correctly without ruining the flow, but I do think a sin bin would be a great idea to stop games being ruined by red cards.

There’s the ongoing argument about teams being punished 3 times when a player gives away a pen, is sent off, and then suspended. I think a sin bin (10 minutes, maybe) would help with those issues. If the player gets booked again he’s off, and 2 sin bins in the season equals a 1 or 2 game suspension.

I also think the clock should be controlled from the touch line and stopped when the game halts for more than 15 seconds. That should stop the arguments about time wasting/too much or too little added time as none would be required. It would also ensure value for money in a game which is already far too expensive to go and watch.

Morning all. and I have a question for Eddie. Can you give us all the low-down on the Polish midfielder DM with the unpronounceable name that we are supposedly interested in getting from Seville?

He is listed as 6’1″ on wiki so that is a good start for me. How mobile and pacey is he? Does he have decent technique? Is he an absolute warrior? Can we just call him Eddie2 to save looking up his name every time we want to blog about him?

Come on Eddie1, I need to know all this and more, and I need to know it now……Actually that is a lie because I am off for a couple of hours so I will not see any response till later.